Topic: 250 Pro XS head bolts

Participant

Hi all, I was putting my boat up on the trailer yesterday and when I tilted the trim up to put on my toter I heard something rattle/roll forward inside the cowling….I found a couple bolts, took it to Riverside in Nashville…the mechanic there identified them as head bolts and slapped em back in there. He told me they back out on their own… My questioning ensued…what the heck could have caused this, what is the proper fix,do they need threadlocker or a set of bolts, do I need to keep an eye on this, is there an underlying issue which needs to be addressed preventatively etc etc. I never got a great answer but the original bolts are back in there and I think they are torqued to spec….he seemed hesitant to tighten up not wanting to pull a helicoil or crack something. My warranty runs out end of Nov or Dec this year and if I need to do something here to extend the lifespan of my motor I would rather get out in front of it there is no doubt. Any input is appreciated.

f33730349

Participant

I had the same issue recently on my 2010 engine. Two top head bolts on the starboard side ( 250 pro xs ) came completely out. The top head gasket ( “O” ring type on these engines ) was blown which causes the engine to over heat on that side if not shut down when the alarm goes off. Obviously the alarm goes off to warn you before any damage occurs. Of course I did that and no damage was done to the cylinder or head ! I took it to a Marina / Dealership with a Master Mechanic and he replaced all head gasket “O” rings and ALL head bolts on both cylinder banks !. Twenty bolts on each side. The head bolts are stretch bolts and should never be reused ! Its up to you of course, but while its under warranty it might be a good thing to discuss this with another dealership and ask about checking the head gaskets and replacing all the bolts with new bolts. BTW. All of mine were just a little bit loose. Have no idea why , but they were. This is not something Ive heard about often, but it happens. It did on mine and yours !Good Luck and tight linesDon